Wind and gravity balanced door.



T. VAN"KANNEL.

WIND AND GRAVITY BALANCED DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 19]].

Patented July 16, 1918.

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T. VAN KANNEL,

WIND AND GRAVITY BALANCED DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 1917 1 ,272,732. Patented July 16, 1918.

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T. VAN KANNEL.

WIND AND GRAVITY BALANCED DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY22. 1917.

1,272,732. Patented July 16, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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n nrrnn s'ra'rns rarnn'r orrion THEOPHILUS VAN KANNEL, OF YARDVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIVERSAL BALANCE DOOR INCORPO RATION OF NEW YORK.

ATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPO- WIND AND GRAVITY BALANCED DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed May 22, 1917. Serial No. 170,236.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THnoPmLUs VAN KANNEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yardville, county of Mercer, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wind and Gravity Balanced Doors, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to a door formed of two wings arranged to swing normally in opposite directions, and provided with suitable connections and means for restoring them to their closed position'when anyone passes through the doorway' The invention is applicable to doors which are exposed to wind-pressure, orare, as in the rolling or pitching of a' vessel, subjected to lurching which develops gravity strains. Also to doors affected by inertia, as those upon railway cars.

From either of these causes, an unbalanced door may severely resist the movement of a passenger through the doorway, but oppositely moving door-wings mechanically connected, fully balance such wind-pressure and other strains because the pressures upon the wings are wholly balanced and neutralized.

As the wind or rocking of, a water-craft tends to close one of the wings and at the same time to open the other, the wings will remain normally at any point whether open or closed, or in any intermediate position, because connected together, and therefore they are readily opened or closed.

The present invention provides an improved form of connections for the doorwings for hinging the doors in different relations to the door-frame, and also means for checking the movement of the doors when they are being closed or opened.

To hold the doors normally closed, it is necessary to provide a spring orweight to automatically close the wings and overcome the friction of the hinges or pivots, and other working parts. It further becomes nerxassary to provide a proper checking device to make the closing of the wings slow and uniform, in order that they maynot move so rapidly in closinas to strike or shore persons passing, and that they may close upon one another without slamming.

it is obvious that a greatstrain is place wholly inclosed in a housing,

' vertical depth of only upon doors generally where their closing movement is caused and controlled by springs and checks. For this reason, I have, in the present invention, devised a series of double connections between the door-wings, such connections consisting of double acting levers and connecting-rods the arrangement being such that while one connecting-rod is pulling, the other has a pushing action.

The checking device is similarly organized, there being two cylinders with their pistons working in liquid opposite each other, so that great strain upon the checking device is entirely balanced and neutralized.

The cylinders and their pistons operate within a control-box, which is also provided with means to stop the closing movement of the doors when they are wholly opened.

These features of construction obviate the use of heavy parts to resist the normal strains, and in connection with the wind and gravity balanced device, result in producing doors that can be swung with very slight effort, and for this reason they are not liable to get out of repair.

The entire connecting and controlling mechanism has been designed to be located across the top or bottom of a doorway and which may, if locatedat the top, be part'of the transom bar and attached beneath it.

The housing and mechanism occupy a two or three inches, and has a width not more than that of the ordinary transom bar. This construction thus locates the mechanism entirely out of sight, which is a very desirable feature and enhances the architectural appearance of the entrance. c

In the normal operation of balanced doorwings, one is necessarily opened outward and the other inward at the same time; but there are cases when doors are installed in buildings like factories, assembly halls, &c.,

where it is necessary that both wings of the door in emergencies should be capable of swinging outward simultaneously to produce a complete and unobstructed exit.

To accomplish this, I apply to thatwing which normally opens inward, a detachable coupler in the connection between the two wings, which coupler operates normallyto d mess the wingsin opposite directions"but:-

becomes automatically detached so that the doors may both swing in the outward direction it the inward moving wing is pressed with undue force. lVith this construction, the doors move normally in opposite directions, but are both capable of moving out- Ward in case of a panic.

The invention includes the duplex connection beti'veentlie wings of the door to diminish the strain upon each, and a duplex construction for the door-check and the detachable coupler between the inward moving door-wing connections as well as other features of construction which will be hereinafter pointed out in the claims.

In the annexed drawing, Figure 1 is a plan of the mechanism within its housing, showing the wings closed; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same for location beneath the transom of the door, the nearer side of the housing being removed and the floor of the housing being in section; Fig. 3 is a plan of the door-check and the wing-cranks with the rocker shown reverse from its position in Fig. 1, with the wings fully open; Fig. 4 is a vertical section, where hatched, at the center ofthepivot, at the left-hand of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 shows the under side of the double lever appearing in the top of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a cross section, where hatched, at the-middle of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the door-check the same as shown in Fig. 2, with the transom and the lower part of the housing in section; Fig. 8 is a plan of the same parts with the rocker in dotted lines and the casing for the door-check shown in section at the center line of the cylinders;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of one of the check-pistons showing its valve.

In Figs. 2 and 3, door-wings A and B are shown provided with pivots C, C, projecting from their upper edges near the inner sides of the door-frame, shown at D in Fig. 1. Arrows ac are applied to the door-wings in Fig. l to show the direction of their movements when opening. The transom E at the top of the doorway forms the upper part otthe housing, closed at the bottom by a floor G and at the sides by hinged doors G shown in Fig.- 6; which permit access to the mechanism.

The upper bearing for each pivot, as

I shown in Fig. 4, is formed in a hub 1 with conical seat I rounded upon its under side, and resting upon a plate J. supported by the floor G. The conical portion I extends from the hub through the said plate to hold it in position, while permitting the bearing to rock slightly uponits supporting-plate J, so as to accommodate the bearing to any varying position of the wing-pivot.

The pivots shown in Figs. 2 and at are formed with a foot-plate J secured upon the top edge of the doorwing by screws J Tl1e .-selt a dj usting' bearing compensates for the controlboX F for the door-check and plunger is shown mounted upon the floor G of the housing intermediate to the pivots,

and provided with a spindle a, upon the top of which a rocker 7) is secured and provided with four crank-pins c and c.

In Figs. 1 and 3, wing-cranks formed of levers having each two opposite arms (.Z are connected by studs 2 and connecting-rods (Z and (Z to the crank-pins c, 0 upon the rocker, and the wing-cranks of the two wings are thus connected to move together and under the control of the door-check.

Springs H and H are attached respectively to the crank-arms (Z upon the two door-wings and to fixed pins 0 upon the housing and arranged, as shown in Fig. l, to hold the door-wings normally in a closed position, indicated by their overlapping edges f in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows the position of the wingcra-nks when the wings V 3 shows the contrary position when the wings are fully open.

The pivots are located and the wingcranks proportioned to operate wholly within the'sides of the doorframe I), the cranks swinging about 90 degrees. 7 The connecting-rods d and (Z? are subjected respectively to a pulling and pushing strain, as they are connected to the wingcranks at opposite sides of the pivots and to the rocker at opposite sides of its spindle u.

The organizationof the door-check and its operation upon the rocker is shown in in cylinders projected outwardly from opposite sides of the casing. The casing and cylinders arefilled with ml or other-suitable liquld which iurmshesthe 1'(*:-Jst:i11to required. The pistons thus move in opposite directions, which force the liquid in both of them in and out of the cylimlerswhen the checlccrank g is oscillated.

The crank-pins 0 of the check-crank describe each an are which produces a practically uniform movement of the plunger-s; and botlrresist ointly any siulden'closiug of the door-wings, by forcing the liquid from the cylinder into the casing. lilac-h. p1sto n, as shown in F 9, has a pa ige 7teXtended through it and provided with a checlcvalve lfl'whieh opens when the wing;

are opened suddenly, but closes when the 'wingsclosqby the action of springs ll.

, The outer ends Ofthe cylinders are closed are closed; and Fig.

and are connected each by a port Z with an equalizing tube m which discharges the liquid in each cylinder into the casing through a passage at having a regulating screw it The two plungers are thus subjected automatically to the same regulated degree of resistance.

The outer movements of the pistons force the liquid in the outer end of each cylinder back into the casing F through the passages m and n. The screw 02, may be so adjusted as to give the wings a uniformly slow movement from their open position to a point nearly closed, the speed of which may be adjusted by the screw, at pleasure.

The port Z is so formed as to be Wholly covered by the piston at the outermost end of its stroke, when the wings are closed, and the corner of the piston which passes over such port is beveled to cause a gradual closing thereof, to retard the final closing of the wings. This retarding point can be shifted in relation to the wing-cranks by adjusting the position of the rocker with reference to the wing-cranks. This is effected, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by forming the body of the connecting-rods d and (Z with screw-threads, and screwing them into the screw heads (Z of the connecting rods, which engage the pins 0, c and the pins or studs 2 upon the wing-cranks.

If it be desired to make the piston 3' arrive earlier in its closing movement, the screw-heads are turned to shorten the two rods (5 and to lengthen the two rods 61 equally.

This causes the closing of the piston-portearlier without changing the closing point of the two wings with relation to one another. A change in the connecting-rods may also secure the adjusting of the two wings so as to close simultaneously, without shifting the retarding point above described. In Fig. 6,

a permanent stop 29 is formed upon the housing, and the wing A in Fig. 1 is shown as if in contact with such stop, but if the wing B has not yet contacted with the wing A, then the shortening of the rod d shown in the upper part of Fig.1,and the lengthening of the rod (Z in the lower part of Fig.

I 1, which connects the rocker with the wing B, serve to bring the door 13 in contact with the wing A and without changing the position of thepistons.

It will be noticed that the pins c, 6 upon the rocker are placed near one another in pairs to receive the tworods from the corresponding. ends of the wing-cranks, the arrangement beinggsuch that the arcs described by these pins may be the same as the relative are on the two wing-cranks As best shown in Fig. 8, in addition to the doorcheck which retards-the closing movement of the door, the control-box .5 is" I to the movement: of its wing crank, and this draws the roller out of thenotch v and.v

provided with a plunger to gradually arrest the-wings as they reach their full opening.

The plunger 1 is mounted IHOVably in a cylinder 0r socket 1" in line witha toe g upon one of the check-arms 9 when the wings are opened." The toe g is shown by dotted lines in its position at the extreme end of the'opening movement, with the face of the plunger expressed by dotted line withinthe mouth of the cylinder.

The spring 8 holds the plunger normally out to the mouth of the cylinder against a stop 8.

A hole 1" is formed through the side of the cylinder adjacent to the inner end of the hole 6? being open when the plunger moves inward.

The spring is inserted in the cylinder behind the plunger, pushes it outward and permits the refilling of the cylinder with oil when the toe is turned away from the plunger in the closing movement of the wings.

The rocker in Fig. 8 is indicated in the position shown in Fig. 1, but is represented merely in dotted lines, as it would not appear in the drawing at the section plane through the check-cylinders.

The wings A and B open normally in opposite directions, but are connected with one another by an automatically detachable coupler so that when the inwardly opening wing is subjected to undue pressure, as in times of fire or panic, it is released from its wing-crank, and swings freely outward so as to open the entire doorway fully.

To permit the wing A to swing in the same direction as the wing B, the wingcrank of the wing A is fitted loosely upon its pivot C and is connected detachably with the pivot by a release-arm t, the hub of which is attached rigidly to the pivot bv a 1 pin it, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, at and 5. The wingcrank (Z, as shown in Fig. 5, has a circular flange t with a notch '21 at one end, and the wing-crank (Z is fitted loosely to the hub u and. is coupled normally to the release-armby a link i having a roller 1) at oneend ar 'anged to engage the notch n.

A spring w'presses the roller ,4) strongly toward the notch 11 and operates to hold the wing-crank in normal operative connection with the plvot C until undue force is exerated, pushing the door-wing A contrary leaves the wing A entirely to move outward similarly to the wing B, the roller then bearing upon the flange t. This gives an unobstructed egress through the whole doorway. 7

Any detachable connection between the wing-pivot and its wing-crank would serve the same purpose.

The construction described above shows the combination with the connections between the wingcranks, of acontroller adapted to check the door-wings in their closing movement and to arrest them grad"- ually when fully open; the connections being duplicated where necessary in order to divide the load upon all the connecting parts.

The control-box is also provided with. duplicate checking devices, each of which sustains a part of the load and thus avoids overstrain.

It will also be understood from the previous description, that the duplex connections operate the same whether connecting the wings directly or through themediation of the rocker, and serve as a security against the disabling of the connections, by dividing the strain between the duplicate parts.

The construction, as shown in Fig. 1, furnishes operative connections between the door-wings and the checking-device when the doors are pivoted between two walls, or close to the door-frames.

The compactness of the mechanism permits it to be located 'abo e the tops of the door-wings beneath an ordinary transom and the mechanism wholly inclosed in a housing so as not to mar the architectural apperance of the door, while at the same time the sides of the housing may be hinged so as to afl'ord ready access to the mechanism.

The automatic detachment of one of the door-wings from its connection to the other pivots of the wings, of a rocker journaled intermediate to the said pivots, duplex connections eonnectingthe pivots to the rocker, and a door-check connected to said rocker to regulate the closing of the door-"wings;

8. In a door having Wings movable in opposite directions, the combination, with the pivots of the w ngs, of: a rocker ournaled opposed cranks on the pivots connected by duplex connecting-rods. v

In a door having wings movable in opposite directions, the combination, with the pivots of the wings, of cranks fitted reversely to the pivots, a rocker journaled intermediate. to said pivots, and duplex rods connecting the opposite ends of the rocker to the opposite cran is upon the pivots.

6. In a door having wings movable in opposite directions, the eombinatiomwith the pivots of the wings, of wing-cranks fitted reversely to the pivots, the arms of the wingcranks connected by duplex rods, and springs operating to normally close the door-wings.

7. In a door having wings movable in opposite directions, the combination, with the pivots of the wings, of wing-cranks connected by rods having means-for adjusting the length of such rods, for the purposes set forth.

8. In a doorhaving wings movable in opposite directions, to balance gravity, inertia or wind-pressure, the combination, with the pivot of each wing, of a wing-crank operating upon the base of each wing, a connect ing-rod jointedto the said wingcranks and arranged to move the wings inversely, a control-box provided with a checking-device intermediate to the wing-cranks, the controlbox having a spindle connected with the' checking device, and a rocker-arm upon such spindle jointed to the connection of the wing-cranks. I

9. In a door having wings movable in opposite directions, the combination, with the pivots of the wings, of a two-armed wingcrank applied to each pivot, a control-box provided with a checking device intermediate to the wing-cranks, the control-box having a spindle. connected with the checking-device, a rocker movable with the said spindle, two rods from each wing-crank conneeted to adjacent cranl'r-pins upon the rocker, and the rocker serving to operate both arms of each \vingc1'a1ika11cl thus have a duplicate connection to both door-wings.

10. In a door having wings movable in opposite directions, the' conibination, with the pivots of the wingsjot a rocker journaled intermediate to the said'pivots, duplex connections c'oni'iecting the pivots to'the'rocke'r, a closed casing adjacent to said rocker, the rocker having a s'indle witha double-arm cheeljr-lever mavabl e in said casingthecas ing having cylinders substantially in line with the ends or said arms, pistons in the cylinders with links connected reversely to the said lever-arms, and a fluid passageway connecting the cylinders to equalize the pressure therein, and having a screw-valve to regulate the closing speed of the door.

ll. In a door having wings movable in opposite directions, the combination, with the pivots of the wings, of a rocker journaled intermediate to the said pivots, duplex connections connecting the pivots to the rocker, a closed casing adjacent to said rocker provided with one or more checkcylinders, a cylinder-socket having a plunger fitted thereto, the rocker having a spindle with a check-lever movable in said casing, a piston in the check-cylinders connected to the check lever, and the said check-lever being arranged and operated to collide with the said plunger as the doorwings approximate their full opening.

12. In a door having two wings both hinged to move outwardly, the combination, with the pivots of the wings, of wing-cranks applied to the pivots and connected together to move the wings normally in opposite directions, and one of the cranks having a detachable connection with its pivot adapted to yield and release the wing when subjected to undue pressure, thus opening the entire doorway outward when required.

13. In a door having two Wings both pivoted to move outwardly, the combination, with the pivots or" the wings, of Wing-cranks applied to the pivots and connected together to move the wings normally in opposite directions, a release-arm secured rigidly to one of the pivots, the wing-crank upon such pivot being fitted to turn loosely thereon and provided with a notched flange, a link jointed to the release-arm and having a roller adapted to fit the notch in the flange and means for pressing the link to hold the roller elastically in the notch, whereby an undue pressure upon the link pulls the roller out of the notch and releases the wingcrank from the pivot, thus permitting the wing to swing contrary to its normal direction.

14. In a door having Wings movable in opposite directions, the combination, with the cranks, of pivots upon their upper ends, a housing-floor sustained upon the doorframe beneath the top of the same, and having bearings for the pivots, wing-cranks Copies of this patent may be obtained for applied to the pivots and connected to move the wings in opposite directions, and hinged sides upon the housing between the said floor and the top of the door-frame to inclose the mechanism and give access to the same.

15. In a dOOr having wings movable in opposite directions, the combination, with the pivot of each wing, of a wing-crank applied to the same, a connecting-rod connected to the said wing-cranks to move the wings reversely, such rod having the body formed with screw-thread, and heads screwed adjustably upon the ends of the rod to engage the pins or studs upon the wingcranks.

16. In a door having wings movable in opposite directions, the combination, with the pivot of each wing, of a two-armed wing-crank applied to each pivot, a controlbox provided with a checking-device intermediate to the wing-cranks, the control-boX having a spindle connected with the checking-device, a rocker movable with the said spindle, two rods from the arms of each wingcrank connected to adjacent crankpins upon the rocker, each rod having the body formed with screw-thread and heads screwed adjustably upon the rod and engaged with the pins or studs upon the crankarms and the rocker, the rods thus permitting the adjustment of the wings with respect to each other and to the center of the doorway, and to cause the operation of the checking device to be efl'ected earlier or later in the movement of the wings as they approach the closing point.

17. In a door having wings movable in opposite directions, the combination, with the pivots of the wings, of a rocker journaled intermediate to the said pivots, connections from the pivots to the rocker to move the Wings in opposite directions, a control-box adjacent to the rocker, the rocker havin a spindle with a check-lever thereon moviible in the said box, a checkcylinder or cylinders substantially in line with the arm of the check-lever and having a port Z at its outer end, and a piston moved in the cylinder by the check-arm to close the said port and having its surface beveled to effect such closing gradually, sub stantially as herein described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THEOPHILUS VAN KANNEL.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, WashingtomD. G. 

